Here is the latest Connect Dacorum Opportunities List for your consideration. There is a wide variety of needs listed below which I have put in categories for your easy reference, and if you can help with any, have any of the items or money to pay for them, then please come back to me initially.

If you have any items that are not listed below but you do not need anymore and would like to give to charity, please let me know.

Local company V12 Tech Ltd have answered a recent call for help from Herts Vision Loss and have funded some specialist computer-based access technology worth over £1,000 to help visually impaired job seekers. On Friday 16th June V12Tech, Herts Vision Loss and South Hill Centre came together for the launch of the equipment at the Strive, a drop in hub which helps local people to build confidence, overcome barriers, personal development and search for jobs.

Herts Vision Loss are working with the South Hill Centre to provide visually impaired job seekers with services, advice, and assistance in looking for work in the Hemel Hempstead area and to enable them to demonstrate to visually impaired service users technology that would allow them to overcome barriers they face. South Hill Centre is a Christian community charity based in the heart of Hemel Hempstead. It runs, amongst other things, a number of regular drop-ins, courses and support for unemployed / under-employed / self-employed people in the local area which are open to all. For more information or help people can contact them on 01442 234728.

They identified the Dolphin SuperNova Magnifier and Speech as the ideal solution to their requirement and the cost for this would be around £1,000. The South Hill Centre put in a request for funding to Connect Dacorum and once the request went out Adam Painter from V12 Tech got in contact.

V12 Tech specialise in providing IT support to small and medium sized businesses in the Dacorum area and beyond. Adam Painter, Managing Director from V12 Tech Ltd said “when the request came up on Connect Dacorum’s Opportunity List we were happy to help as I am aware of the effect that this has on individuals and how the use of technology can help people affected live a more enjoyable life. As a small local company we have limited ability to help within the local community but do like to help where we can.”

Will Davis from, Herts Vision Loss said “It’s great to have this support from V12 Tech. Accessible technology opens up doors for visually impaired people in the world of work; and facilitates finding work as so much of the job market is now on line. I know the equipment will be put to great use at the South Hill Centre.”

Back in March 2017 Connect Dacorum received an unusual request. A local agency, Dacorum Education Support Agency, were supporting a family in Tring, a single mother with three children one of which is disabled. They had secured from the Family Fund a selection of garden play equipment, however it arrived and required assembly.

After first going through the Volunteer Centre, the request came to us to see if a local company would be able to send a couple of people to volunteer and put the equipment up for the family. Osborne's jumped at the opportunity.

At the beginning of this month Osbornes put up the play frame and made it secure which means that this summer all three of those children will be able to use the play frame and enjoy the summer months, and years ahead. Well done Osbornes. Thank You.

Local company Eckoh, based in Hemel Hempstead, sent 14 keen volunteers to Sunnyside Rural Trust on Friday 12th May on a team building day organised by Connect Dacorum.

Sunnyside Rural Trust is a charity based in Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead and offer training and work skills for young people and adults with learning disabilities. They also run Hemel Food Garden, which is located behind the K2 restaurant near B&Q with a great shop and café. Gemma Vine from Sunnyside Rural Trust was delighted with the group from Eckoh. “The team worked hard all day and helped us with some much needed jobs. They had great fun while making a difference.”

Some of the Eckoh team cleaned out chickens, some cleared around the pond to help the local wildlife and some made up hanging baskets which will be displayed along Kings Langley High Street over the summer. All of them made a positive impact on the charity and came away from the day with a real sense of achievement and able to see the fruits of their labour.

Eckoh is the UK’s leading provider of Multi-Channel customer service and secure payment solutions. Caroline Taylor from Eckoh said “We thoroughly enjoyed supporting our local community and working with Sunnyside Rural Trust. Running volunteering days for the company and working with our local community is so important for our employee wellbeing and morale. The team of employees enjoyed contributing to the project and working together in such a positive and rewarding way. Thank you to Connect Dacorum for organising the volunteering event.”

If you would like your company to run volunteering opportunities and don’t know where to start, contact Cindy Withey at Connect Dacorum on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.

Two Hundred Year 10 pupils from Longdean School took part in an Employability Skills event on Thursday 4th May organised and run by Connect Dacorum. The pupils were in groups of around 8, and each group had a facilitator or two from local businesses who had given up their morning to help the children with CV writing and interview skills.

This year the event took place in their new school building and all students were in the hall which instantly created a buzz. The event was interactive for the pupils – interviewing their facilitators before moving on to looking in more detail at their own CVs and giving advice. The second half concentrated on interview skills with mock interviews and also a fun “speed interviewing” game. The pupils came away with lot of helpful feedback and advice directly from employers about what they look for in a CV, covering letter and throughout the interview process.

Cindy Withey, Manager of Connect Dacorum praised the pupils and facilitators for a great day “Longdean School will be very proud of their Year 10’s who were well behaved and engaged in the session. It’s a pleasure for Connect Dacorum to organise these events as it benefits the pupils but is also very rewarding for our facilitators to help shape the future workforce”.

The pupils also completed a feedback sheet at the end of the day with most of them of them saying that it was really helpful. One wrote “I have found about interviews and a variety of skills needed”. Another said “I will apply the communication skills that I have developed.”

Longdean School said “This activity gives our students an amazing opportunity to learn future skills needed in the workplace. It gives them the chance to spend 2 hours with a local employer in a small group situation where they are able to ask questions and find out information that is important to them.”

The facilitators came from a wide variety of backgrounds and businesses (full list see below), all willing to give up their time to help shape the future generation and pass on valuable advice.

“Really enjoyable day spent with the students at Longdean School – very bright futures ahead.” Said Olivia Tunnell from UK Power Reserve. Jeanette Squire from Squires Estates was equally positive about the event “I have just spent a positive morning teaching CV and interview skills to pupils at Longdean School, an experience I found to be very rewarding as they felt and appeared a lot more confident at the end of the sessions.” And Carolina Karlstrom from Jade Advisory said “I really enjoyed working with the students and knowing I was doing something useful to support them in their career development. They were polite and stayed engaged for the whole two hours – well done kids!”

If there are any businesses who would like their staff to be involved and become a facilitator for these events later in the year at Hemel Hempstead School in July please contact Cindy Withey at Connect Dacorum on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.